Gear Advice: Socks (Heavy)

Treat your feet well, and you will enjoy your adventure a great deal. A good heavy sock is critical to accomplishing this. There are two basic types of heavy sock. The first is traditional wool, but the newer socks use a very soft Merino wool. The traditional wool socks are very tough, but they are not soft, so a liner sock is required. The Merino wool socks won't last quite as long, but they feel great on the feet. Some old-school hikers will use a liner with the Merino wool, but I have found that to be unnecessary. You should make sure you carry enough of these to get your feet dry after a day of hiking. It is amazing how good a new dry pair of Merino socks feels on your feet, especially after a long hike.

Bill's Choice

SmartWool Expedition weight socks are the only socks you will find in my pack, regardless of the length of the trip.